Cleaning the Prosthesis

Any material worn against human skin should be cleaned on a regular basis.Prosthetic liners, socks and prosthetic sockets pick up bacteria and dead skin cells, which can irritate the residuallimb.Self-maintenance is crucial for any prosthetic wearer. Here are some tips on keeping prosthetic supplies clean and wearable:

To clean a prosthetic socket, wipe the inside of the socket with a damp soapy cloth. Be sure to use a gentle soap.The cloth should only be mildly damp, so that excess water does not permeate the prosthetic components.After this has dried, apply rubbing alcohol to a paper towel and wipe the inside of the socket thoroughly.This is an excellent way to disinfect a socket.Make sure that the alcohol has fully evaporated prior to wearing the prosthesis.This is best done at night, so that the prosthesis can fully dry overnight.If the alcohol does not thoroughly dry, it can irritate the skin.

Hand wash silicone liners with gentle soap and water.Rinse thoroughly.Allow the liner to dry naturally overnight.Ideally, a second liner could be worn while the first is set to dry.

Hand-wash prosthetic socks in cool water and gentle soap.Let the socks air-dry.